Mike Piazza was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday, January 6. Piazza will become either member 311 or 312 of the Cooperstown shrine. Piazza, in his fourth year on the BBWAA ballot, was named on 365 ballots good for eighty-three percent of all ballots cast.
Mike Piazza’s Hall of Fame Career
Michael Joseph Piazza is arguably the greatest offensive catcher ever to play professional baseball.
Los Angeles Dodgers
When Piazza was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988, he was asked to give up his position of first base to transition to catcher. Manager Tommy Lasorda, a personal friend of Piazza’s father, Vince, told him that the transition to catcher was necessary for him to have a better chance of making it to the majors. Piazza listened to his coach, and the rest is history.
In 1993, Piazza won the National League Rookie of the Year Award, batting .318, hitting thirty-five home runs and 112 RBI. The same year, Piazza was selected to the first of twelve total All-Star Games. Piazza’s best season with the Dodgers was 1997, when he hit .362, with forty home runs, 124 RBI, and a slugging percentage of .638. Piazza finished second in voting MVP for the second consecutive season.
Florida Marlins
Piazza played seven illustrious seasons for the Dodgers until he was traded to the Florida Marlins in 1998. Piazza and Todd Zeile went to the Marlins in return for Gary Sheffield, Charles Johnson, Bobby Bonilla, Manuel Barrios, and Jim Eisenreich. He only appeared in five games with the Marlins, and hit .278. One week later, Piazza was traded to the New York Mets.
New York Mets
Despite stellar numbers from Piazza, the Mets missed the 1998 postseason by one game. Piazza would also go on to lead the Mets to postseason births in 1999 and 2000. In 2000, the Mets would go on to win the National League pennant and ultimately lose to the New York Yankees in the World Series.
On May 5, 2004, Piazza surpassed Carlton Fisk for most home runs by a catcher with his 352nd long bomb.
Mike Piazza is best known for his time in New York. He caught the last pitch at Shea Stadium and the first pitch at Citi Field. Both pitches were thrown by Hall of Famer Tom Seaver. The cap on Piazza’s plaque will feature a Mets logo.
San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics
Following the 2005 season, Piazza filed for free agency and ultimately landed with the San Diego Padres. Prior to the 2006 season, Piazza would represent Italy in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
Piazza would also go on to play briefly for the Oakland Athletics following his one year deal with the Padres.
In 2008, Piazza would announce his retirement after failing to be signed by any team.
Bottom Line
Piazza was certainly deserving of being a first ballot Hall of Famer. Though some PED controversy kept him from being enshrined immediately, he was undoubtedly the best offensive catcher ever. Piazza also had a .997 fielding percentage. He won a record ten-consecutive Silver Slugger Awards. He hit more than thirty home runs in eight consecutive seasons (1995–2002). The Monster has nine career thirty-homer seasons.
Mike Piazza finished his career with a .302 batting average, 427 home runs, and 1,335 RBI.
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